Container



y 1941- J. M. HOTHERSALL 2,241,381

I CONTAINER Filed Dec. 8, 1938 Patented May 13, 1941 CONTAINER John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December s, 1938, Serial No. 244,694

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a sheet metal container or can having a compound gasket lined removable cover which is adapted to hold a vacuum in the closed container and which is secured in closed and sealed position on the container by interrupted screw threads, the invention having particular reference to a construction of closure which also includes elements for readily breaking the vacuum within the container when it is to be opened and this by an easy turning movement of the cover.

The invention constitutes an improvement or modification of that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 46,939, filed Oct. 26, 1935, now Patent 2,180,357, issued Nov. 21, 1939.

Covers having a sealing gasket of compound lining material when applied to cans which have been vacuumized and when secured in place by interlocking screw threads, present difficulty in opening because the vacuum aided by the adhering effect of the compound, results in holding the cover so tightly on the can that considerable force is required to pry the cover loose and both cover and can are often distorted and damaged thus impairing the usefulness of the parts for reclosure purposes.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming this difficulty by providing a two-piece cover which when rotated in reverse, as when removing from the can, will lift an edge of the sealing member of the cover at one or preferably at two diametrically opposed places and thereby break the vacuum so that the cover as a whole may be readily removed.

An object, therefore, of the invention is the provision for a can adapted to be vacuumized of an improved compound lined cover which may be secured to the can by cooperating interrupted screw threads and locking elements wherein the cover may be turned down into tight hermetically sealed position on the can and locked against accidental loosening and dislodgment but yet may be easily operated when desired to break the vacuum within the can by a simple turning action so that the cover may be readily lifted off and used again as a reclosure.

Another object is the provision of such a can and cover wherein the cover is made intwo pieces one of which is adapted to hermetically clamp the other onto the can and to have rotative movement relative thereto for prying loose an edge of the clamped member at one or more places and thereby to break the vacuum within the can when removing the cover so that the latter may be more easily removed.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understoodfrom the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a can and cover embodying the instant invention, the cover being shown removed from the can and in position thereabove ready for application to the can;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the cover assembled on the can in fully closed and sealed position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the cover in a different position relative to the can as when removing the cover from the can; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4'4 in Fig. 2.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing discloses a can comprising a cylindrical sheet metal body ll having a side wall I2 and closed at its bottom end with a closure member which is secured to the body in a suitable seam l3. The upper end of the body is strengthened by an annular bead I 4 which is struck outwardly from the body side wall. This side wall terminates above the bead in an inwardly bent edge curl l5 which provides a smooth top edge or cover seating ledge for the body.

After filling, the can is preferably closed with a removable two-piece sheet metal cover 2| which permits closure and sealing under vacuum and the cover may be used as a reclosure after the can is once opened. This cover includes a substantially flat flexible sealing disc 22 and a separate annular clamping ring 23 for holding the disc in place. I

The cover sealing disc 22 is formed with a flat circular countersunk panel 24 which at its outer edge merges into an annular inverted U-shapecl flange 25. This flange provides a channel 26 in which a lining compound gasket 21 is carried. The outer edge of the flange is or may be slightly outwardly flared as at 28. When the sealing disc is on the can the panel 24 is disposed in the mouth of the can and the flange 25 rests on top of and partially surrounds the body curl l5 as a seat, the gasket 21 being interposed between the flange 25 and the curl 15 as shown in Fig. 4. The gasket thus provides a hermetic seal between the can andthe sealing disc. Adjacent the flange 25 the panel 24 is provided with a plurality of spaced inwardly extended projections 29 which inter up ed:

engage against the inner surface of the curl l and thus center the sealing disc onthe can.

The sealing disc flange 25 is drawn down tight against the can seat or curl I5 by the annular clamping ring 23 which flts over the top of the flange 25. For this purpose the clamping ring is formed with a depending peripheral side wall section or skirt 3! which, when the cover is applied to the can, is outside of but closely adjacent the side wall of the can above the body bead 14. At its lower edge the ring side wall or skirt merges into an outwardly bent smooth edge curl 32. At its upper end the ring side wall merges into an inwardly bent curved wall section or flange 33. which surrounds the annular flange 25 of the sealing disc.

Adjacent the base of the curved wall section 33 where it merges into the side wall section 3| of the clamping ring, there is disposed an outwardly bent bead 34. Below this bead 34 there is provided preferably on two diametrically oppo- "sitei sides offthe clamping ring, an inwardly pressedror'struck-curvedboss onlug 35. The upper ed'ge -oi the boss slopes inwardly from. the ringsidewall 31: and is cut through thereby providing a, shoulder or cam section 38 which extends under but is spaced below theflarediedge 28 of the sealing disc'flange 2'5, I The-cam sections'ita of the twobosses 35, loosely l iol 't'ogether thettwo.pieces of. .the cover. and form. a-unitary cover structure before the cover 'is appliedto' 'theca'nin: which there may be free rotaryiniovenientbetween the ring 23 and the disc 22 when the cover is applied to the can, the metal 'to-metalgengagementof the curved wall section] 33 andflange 25: permitting the proper slidingiaicftinm "These two cam sections 38 are adapted 'to' engage undenthe flared edge 28 of thedisc flange 125. for removing the disc as will hereinafter be, (ex zllairie-tl,v Where the sealing tdiscf'izslszof. slightly "larger'diameter only one inflvmrdl'y extending bosslor lug. 35 need be used to lee'epmhettwozparts or the cover; together or until tumor-er israpplieditox the can.

:Screyrthrea-d 'sectionslformed in the body wall -li t'abcve? chalice-pl: iffarrd-lin thecover ring well see. ioniiall'piiovi efjor securing the cover to the 5' irrfthef carrgblody wall thereis provided anspaced; threaolgsections 3? each of which ally spaced and inclined J g truck outwardly from thef-bddy-side wall;- The'lowerthread of each set z zd s arcd: mer e at rb l tf'bfiflde i r I'n the-cover ringwa-ll section 3t there is provided saniiularly spaced i individual and inclined includes a pair of-fvertic interrupted threads .42 which are struck inwardly from the ring side wall to COODEIalJEJVith, the l-threadstwfiin thebodyside wall. This general idm ,Oij ,t-liifead sections;i s,o ften used in sheet 2 a l Q 1 3 tors-c us ns a 2 3 Q together- 7 the cover Zitisapplied to the can the copagirs ef interrupted screw threads 3! gagd inn ar manner by a relu-rn "ofr'otative hlovement between the he can, the threads 2. passing into 'Ispacet between the" threads '38. Knuriing earls as: s rucleoutfof the, ring side wall section l list b lowth-le neaditflrpro deia hand grip fer .his mimn rm v m t.

with'thering 23 until stopped by engagement of the gasket-21 with'the body curl: l5. Thereafter u' gtea awutseeu use of the ring slides over the-disc l-flangewhile the screw. threadsv slide its lowerend into the the cover the'sealing disc 22 turns V -ke't or distorting. any can .or cover parts along each other until the cover is screwed down tight 0n the can.

In reverse movement of the ring 23 as when the can is opened by removal of the cover, the ring rotates and thus rises along the inclined threads while the sealing disc 22 remains stationary due to external atmospheric pressure and the clinging of the gasket compound onto the body curl i5. This continues until the cam sections of the bosses 35 where two bosses are used engage under the flared edge 28 of the disc flange 25, and thus lifts vertically or pries loose a restricted portion of the flared edge of the sealing disc at two diametrical points. The sealing disc thus bends into an arch shape. This admits air into the can and thus breaks the vacuum.

When there is only one boss 35 the same prying action takes place but on one side only. The sealing disc again flexes or bends sufiiciently to easily break the vacuum-at a restricted place.

Thereafter the ring may be readily unscrewed, the cam section or sections 36 riding against the disefiange edge Edandprying loose the compound gasket witheaseand. without damaging the gas- The cover may then be entirely removed and used again: as a lrecl'osure.

J. It is. thought that the invention and. many of. its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the :form, construction, and arrangement of the parts. without departing from, the spirit and scopeof theinvention or sacrificing all of its materialradvantagea,the form hereinbefo-re deser edfbeing; merely a preferred embodiment tation bctween'said disk and said member to pull down onlsaid disk, sealing material on said g; said ledge, cooperating screw threads; formed. inisaidl body and. in said clampingmember for positively moving said clamping member. upwardly and downwardly, and said clamping member having thereon an inwardly extending portion disposed at a localized part only thereof, .said. portion. lying beneath and .spacedj said flange and adapted to engage saidfiangc and lift 'th'elatte'r and the cover disk at a localized .point out of sealing engagement said ledge-when, the clamping member is rctatedlto, release. the same from the container body. 31,! container 1 easy opening comprising a with a top ledge defining *et metal two-piece unitary 1 opening s'aid cover includnovel disk having a peripheral -.,d to; sea-ton said ledge a clamping aving anannular mounting with the and providing relative rotadisl; and said member to pull H 'eal-;; (hi-ling material on said 3 1 i l. a W nedgm ii bpyn nq 21 m m ing-member for positively moving said" clamping member upwardly and downwardly, and a plurality of individual inwardly extending circumferentially spaced cam projections on said clamping member, said projections extending beneath and spaced from said flange and adapted to engage said flange and lift the latter and the cover disk at localized points only out of sealing engagement with said ledge when the clamping member is rotated to release the same from the container body.

3. A container for easy opening comprising a container body formed with a top ledge defining an opening, a sheet metal two-piece unitary cover for closing said opening, said cover including a flexible cover disk having a peripheral flange adapted to seat on said ledge, an annular clamping member mounted on the flange of said disk and providing relative rotation between said disk and said member to pull down on the disk, sealing material on said flange for engaging said ledge, cooperating screw threads formed in said body and in said clamping member for positively moving the latter upwardly and downwardly, and an integral partially cut inwardly extending lug on said clamping member projecting beneath and spaced from said flange and adapted to engage a portion of said flange and lift a localized peripheral portion only of the latter and the cover disk out of sealing engagement with said ledge when said clamping member is rotated to release the same from the container body.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. 

